Stretford Foodbank ‘almost full’ following an overwhelming amount of donations from locals
Streford Foodbank is encouraging people to consider contributing items to the 'Christmas Reverse Advent Calendar' - which involves putting one item a day from the list into a hamper, and then donating it on the first of December.
Stretford Foodbank has temporarily closed the door on donations after an overwhelming response from the local community.
The charity has received more items than it has space to store – with hundreds of cans, packets and cartons being delivered to the Winchester Road site over the past few weeks.
Now, Streford Foodbank is encouraging people to consider contributing food to the ‘Christmas Reverse Advent Calendar’ instead – which involves putting one item a day into a hamper, and then donating it on December 1.
Labour Councillor for Flixton Ward, Shirley Procter, originally posted the Reverse Advent Calendar concept on Facebook – and the idea quickly gained considerable support.
The renewed focus on Christmas food listed in the calendar will also ensure Stretford Foodbank has enough supplies for its festive hampers – so that each of their clients receive an extra bag of Christmas treats in December.
ADVERTISEMENT
Lesley Culf at Stretford Foodbank said: “This year we have been inundated with donations, and it got to a point where we actually moved premises, which are bigger than where we came from. We’ve only been here a week and it’s already too small, because we’ve had so any donations come in.
“It’s only because we have nowhere to put it, but in a few months’ time that will change.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Councillor Procter has been heavily involved in community outreach programs in the area – even offering her home as a hub for food donations for the interim period before Christmas.
Local food banks have seen a recent upsurge in donations due to Marcus Rashford’s campaign for free school meals over the holidays.
But Ms. Procter has said the government needs to do more to support local communities.
“Trafford Thrive were providing food parcels to those in need from the beginning of lockdown onwards, and the money to fund that didn’t come out of thin air,” said the councillor.
“There wasn’t a magic money tree for us to shake, we spent council money doing that and the government haven’t given us that money back.”
Collections for Stretford Foodbank at local supermarkets are still going ahead – and the charity says it can arrange collection appointments with anyone who’d still like to donate.
There’s also a huge variety of local food banks you can still donate to – all of which can be found online.
For more information about the work Stretford Foodbank is doing to keep the community well-fed – visit the official website.
News
Salford RLFC issue statement as head coach Mike Grady departs after less than three months
Danny Jones
Salford Rugby League Football Club have issued an official statement following the departure of head coach Mike Grady, who has left the role after less than three months in the job.
It has been insisted that this is not a sacking, but rather a joint decision to terminate his contract.
Grady, who took up the mantle at the start of this project following the end of the Salford Red Devils era, was only appointed on 5 January.
He had previously been in charge of the Red Devils’ women’s side over the past couple of years, but moved over to hopefully lead this new era forward.
As you can see, the club confirmed in a statement that they and Grady have “mutually agreed to part ways due to changes in his personal circumstances.”
They go on to write: “We are forever indebted to Mike for his unwavering commitment to the club. We want to thank him for all his hard work since taking on the role as Head Coach in very challenging circumstances in December.”
Also sharing a comment from former player turned CEO, Ryan Brierley, he said: “Mike came in as Coach at a time when the club had just come through one of its toughest times with the double impact of relegation and liquidation.
“He was willing to roll up his sleeves and bring stability to the club on the pitch. The fact we were able to field a team against Oldham in January, after only three weeks, speaks volumes about his commitment and determination. To beat Hunslet at home only four weeks later was a fantastic achievement.
“Mike will always be remembered as the person [who] strived and achieved the objective of sending out the first Salford team of this new era. A team running onto the pitch, after so much hard work, gave us all something to cheer about. We also remember how well he successfully guided our women’s team to third and fourth place finishes in the Championship.”
Sharing his own farewell message, he went on to add: “I want to thank Ryan for the opportunity to represent this great club and fan base. What we created at the start of the year was pretty special, and I’m proud to have built that.
“I’m happy to leave the club in a better place than I found it and wish the club all the best for the future.” Salford RLFC have already assured that they are now recruiting for his replacement.
Price caps and standardisations to be introduced for vet care in UK following major investigation
Emily Sergeant
Reforms to the veterinary industry to help pet owners better navigate the vet services market are set to be introduced this year.
After an independent inquiry group recently found that the current system is leaving pet owners ‘in the dark’, with a lack of information to help make informed decisions leading to weak competition and high prices, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has this week concluded its investigation into veterinary services for household pets in the UK.
The final report green-lights a package of measures to make the market more competitive, easier to navigate, and more responsive to pet owners’ needs.
It outlines the final remedies and recommendations, which together, will transform the market.
Remedies and recommendations in the report range from price caps and standardisations, through to upfront cost transparency.
We’ve set out major reforms to the UK’s veterinary sector now our market investigation is complete.
Our reforms will help pet owners better navigate the vet services market and will start coming into force later this year.
— Competition & Markets Authority (@CMAgovUK) March 24, 2026
Practices will soon be required to publish a comprehensive price list for standard services – including consultations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescriptions and cremation options – so pet owners know up-front how much certain services are expected to cost.
They’ll also have to make it clear whether they are part of a group or an independent business, and provide a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more (including aftercare costs), plus an itemised bill.
Written prescription fees are set to be capped at £21 for the first medicine, and then £12.50 for any additional medicines.
Price caps and standardisations are set to be introduced for vet care in UK / Credit: Pxhere
There’s also set to be changes to the complaints process, as practices will now be required to follow a transparent, accessible, in-house complaints process, and engage in mediation where disputes cannot be resolved.
The CMA says an ‘unprecedented’ response from both the public and the sector has helped to shape the final report.
The next step is for the Government to respond to the report formally – with Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds, commenting: “We are grateful for all the work of the Competition and Markets Authority, and we will respond to the report and set out next steps for our proposed reforms in due course.
“This Government is focused on helping families save money on vet services by improving transparency and choice around pricing, so the public can make informed decisions about their pets’ care.”
Gemma Bradley -
9th November 2020 
